IMC News

Culture at Work Africa, co-funded by the European Union, has launched its First Call for Proposals on 25 June 2018 to support innovative on-the-ground projects aiming at developing safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue and to promote active citizenship and intercommunity relations.

25 June 2018 – This First Call for Proposals is open to organizations legally registered in one of the following African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Applications may be submitted in one of these two lots:

· Lot 1: Projects aimed at enhancing public or private cultural spaces as “safe places” for intercultural dialogue by stakeholders active in the public sphere (e.g. organisations active in the social, educational or environmental fields, youth and cultural centres, schools, universities, libraries, local authorities, etc.).

· Lot 2: Projects aimed at strengthening institutional and professional capacities in intercultural mediation of cultural organisations and operators for social cohesion.

The indicative amount available for the 2 lots is 1,000,000.00 EURO. Any grant awarded under this call will fall between a minimum of 20,000.00 EURO and a maximum of 60,000.00 EURO. During the implementation of the selected projects, Culture at Work Africa will carry out a wide range of activities to support the grant beneficiaries, develop their professional skills and networking capacities.

The deadline for submissions is 21 September 2018, at 12:00 (GMT)

To know more about Culture at Work Africa and this First Call for Proposals, click on this link to access the relevant documents.

What comes to your mind when you think about Norwegian music? Blonde singers, loud music in dark vaults or folklore singing and dancing? All of that and many more could be listened to at the European Forum on Music in Oslo.

Many initiatives in Music nowadays, in the Continent and abroad, proudly display the title and qualify themselves of being pan African structures. Among them the African Music Council is not the last. What about?

With this newsletter, we proudly present you our new website. You will also find the latest information on the European Agenda for Music, the European Forum on Music, and on relevant EU policy and funding issues.

“All persons enjoy the right to freedom of artistic expressions and creativity, which includes the right to freely experience or contribute to artistic expressions and creations, through individual or joint practice, to have access to and enjoy the arts, and to disseminate their expressions and creations.”1

IMC Music Rights Champion Ramy Essam, “the singer of the Tahrir Square” who has been living in exile in Northern Europe since 2014, released a new song in February 2018. We were informed that the author of the song’s lyrics, Galal El-Behairy was arrested, beaten and tortured 2. Charges against him include being a member of a terrorist group, spreading false news, the abuse of social-media networks, blasphemy, contempt of religion and insulting the military. An arrest warrant in the same case has been issued against Ramy Essam in absentia.

More than 100 music sector stakeholders and representatives from the European Parliament and European Commission gathered in Brussels on March 21st to celebrate the launch of the European Agenda for Music (EAM). The European Agenda for Music was developed out of a continent-wide consultation launched by the European Music Council (EMC). Reaching out to the entire music sector, it identifies the sector’s collective needs and sets out priorities for the future. A powerful confirmation of the European music sector’s desire to join together in the promotion of a common cause, the Agenda details which directions to pursue in order to ensure a music sector that remains strong, fair, innovative and diverse in a rapidly changing world.

Michel Magnier, Director for Culture and Creativity in the Directorate-General for Education and Culture in the European Commission, described the Agenda as “rich and comprehensive” and highlighted the importance of the EMC’s and other music stakeholders’ contribution to, and advocacy for the European music sector. Mr. Magnier upheld the European Agenda for Music as a valuable and timely contribution to current discussions at the European Commission on a dedicated funding strand for music.

Helga Trüpel, Vice-Chair of the Culture and Education Committee in the European Parliament, spoke of the importance of supporting culture at a European level, affirming that “music in particular has the capacity to touch and move people. That’s why the European Agenda for Music is so important.”

Both Helga Trüpel and Michel Magnier emphasized that the Agenda comes at a crucial time for European cultural policy, with a new European Agenda for Culture and proposals for the future of EU funding programmes after 2020 coming out soon.

EMC President Ian Smith and EMC Secretary-General Ruth Jakobi spoke of the history and challenges of the European Agenda for Music. Stef Coninx from the Flanders Arts Institute and Chair of the EAM Steering Group turned the spotlight onto how the Agenda can be used by all members of the European music sector to institute change in their regional or national communities.

Past and present came together in two inspiring performances by cellist Benjamin Glorieux, who played with technological “assistance” to honour the European Day of Early Music and the 333rd anniversary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach.

German version of the Press Release hereFrench version of the Press Release here

March 2018 – Eight African, European and international partners join forces with the European Union to create new opportunities and mobilise stakeholders to promote intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity in urban and peri-urban areas in Africa as drivers for social inclusion and sustainable human development.[email protected] Africa aims to 1) support projects to develop safe and neutral spaces for intercultural dialogue, 2) strengthen multi-stakeholders national and transnational cooperation, capacity building and networking opportunities, 3) promote citizenship and intercommunity relations.The project takes up the challenge raised by the African Union and its vision for 2063 for “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena.”Two calls for applications will select and support approximately 50 innovative on-the-ground projects (grants up to 60,000€ for each project) presented by public and private cultural operators, local governments, networks and associations representing marginalised groups from 15 African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.Further information will be released on the project website starting May 2018.[email protected] Africa is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Interarts; Arterial Network; Centre for Fine Arts – BOZAR; Culture et Développement; Regional Centre for the Living Arts in Africa – CERAV/Afrique; Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust; International Music Council - IMC; Committee on Culture of United Cities and Local Governments - UCLG, together with their associated partners Africa Centre for Cities of the University of Cape Town, the Economic Community of West African States - ECOWAS, and the Centre for Linguistic and Historical Studies through Oral Tradition - CELHTO.

Additional information

This website uses Google Analytics. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. Read More